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Kelowna Flying Club

COPA Flight #36 6135 Airport Way, Box 13

Kelowna, BC V1V 1S1

Phone (250) 868-2656

Kelowna Flying Club Buys Grumman Tiger for Use By its Members

The Kelowna Flying Club (KFC) has purchased a plane so that its members who hold a minimum of a Private Pilot’s License can renew and maintain their flying skills, learn new ones such as IFR and nighttime flight, and fly around our stunning mountains and beautiful countryside.

The purchase was made possible by club members who loaned the club $85,000 and who will be paid back over four years with interest. Some 25 members of the club then paid up front for 12 hours of flying. The plane has flown more than 75 hours since its arrival and 15 members have been checked out on it and can now fly themselves and make reservations on our online booking system.

The plane is managed by a Flying Committee including Chad Gartly, James Sexton, our treasurer, KFC president Dave McElroy, and Jim Hannibal. The latter has given his invaluable help to the club with regard to the type of plane it should purchase, the reservation system, bookkeeping and general rules and regulations. Jim helped the Qualicum Flying Club in its purchase of a club plane and managed it for several years.

The plane, a Grumman AA5B Tiger manufactured in 1979, was purchased in Ontario and flown here by a WestJet pilot and club member, Cameron Law.

Dave McElroy said he was delighted that the Club had purchased a plane and that he expects it to lead to an increase in club membership over the current 108. “People join flying clubs to fly, and we have not been able to provide an aircraft for their private use or for training flights until now. There is great excitement in the club that we now have a plane.”

The Grumman Tiger is being used by club members who hold private licenses and want to pursue any training such as a commercial license, night flying or IFR (instrument flight rules) ratings, and any other training beyond their private license - or just to go flying. There are a number of pilots who are approved to checkout people on the new plane.

The club’s aircraft, registration C-GVXY, is a four-seater with a single 180 Horsepower Lycoming O-360-A4K engine, which allows it to cruise at 139 knots at 75% power. It has a service ceiling of 13,800 feet, and can take off in 850 feet and land in 410 feet. The plane, which has fixed landing gear, can carry 51 US gallons of fuel and has a range of 500 NM at 75% power. Contact Chad Gartly fp@kelownaflyingclub.com or James Hannibal fp@kelownaflyingclub.com for further information.